OWL's Philadelphia Fusion moves and changes name to Seoul Infernal

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The Philadelphia Fusion becomes the Seoul Infernal before the sixth season of the Overwatch League. The team moved operations to the South Korean capital during the pandemic and chose to stay rather than move operations to the United States.

The team is owned and operated by Comcast Spectacor, which is deeply involved in the Philadelphia sports community. In gaming, the company was behind the relaunch of G4TV and co-owns T1 Esports alongside SK Square. T1 Esports has won the League of Legends Worlds three times, establishing itself as an elite esports brand.

By moving the Philadelphia Fusion to South Korea, the team can share facilities, personnel and talent pool with T1. The Seoul Infernal will retain its current roster and leadership throughout this transition. Earlier in 2022, the team shifted plans from a $50 million dedicated esports facility in South Philadelphia to a multi-purpose facility.

“As we prepare for next season, we assessed how best to compete at a consistent championship level, and realized that our franchise will be best positioned to succeed in Seoul,” said Dave Scott . , president and CEO of Comcast Spectacor, in a statement.

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register here Seoul Infernal Brand

The Seoul Infernal brand is designed to reflect the culture and heritage of the team's new home. The logo itself depicts a Dokkaebi, a goblin/nature deity from Korean folklore. They are said to deceive and help humans.

The brand change features a color change from orange to red. This red is meant to represent the Infernal's burning desire to win and their passion for the game. Although this red is not the same as T1, sister teams now have a more similar color scheme.

Finally, the Dokkaebi is presented with an imperial crown. This is meant to evoke the power, glory and legacy of the organization.

While not the main reason for the rebranding, T1 Esports is closely associated with Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok. T1's mid laner is often considered the best League of Legends player of all time and is known as "the invincible Demon King".

Impact on the Overwatch League

The Overwatch League and its teams' ambitious plans for a city-based global structure have been complicated by the pandemic. The league planned to start traveling around the world in 2020, but that got derailed. Teams have begun to shift their operations in the wake of the pandemic and to reach the more active Overwatch League Chinese audience.

However, the Philadelphia Fusion/Seoul Infernal is the first team to change its name in Overwatch League history.

The league is divided into two divisions: East and West. With shifting teams, the league may need to rebalance these divisions ahead of the 2023 season.

The next season of the Overwatch League is crucial for the project...